It has been a difficult four weeks for all in our community and I hope and pray that everyone remains safe and well. A number of our families have found themselves, due to the Coronavirus outbreak, now without employment. If you and your family find yourselves in financial difficulty and need some support in regard to school fees, please refer to the letter sent to parents on Thursday 26 March and contact the College via the following email address: feerelief@msj.vic.edu.au We are all in this together and need to support each other. During this time, young people in particular may find this especially difficult, and there are a number of organisations and apps, such as the Smiling Mind app and the e-safety commission blog https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/blog/covid-19-online-safety-kit-parents-and-carers that may be helpful.
It has been a very disappointing few weeks for the students, with the cancellation and postponement of so many events that they look forward to. I want to thank them for their resilience and acceptance of our current situation. They have been in good humour and have been supporting each other through this difficult time.
We did, however, have some fabulous events take place earlier in the month.
The College’s International Women’s Day Breakfast on Friday 6 March, attended by over 450 people from the MSJ community, was another great success. I would like to thank our guest speaker and MSJ parent, Anna Talpur, who spoke about her childhood in rural Pakistan and her gratitude for her mother’s belief in educating women, a passion which Anna has instilled in her own daughters as part of the MSJ community and Australian society.
We also had a fantastic turnout of students, parents and staff for Clean Up Australia Day at Seaholme Beach on Sunday 1 March.
Our Athletics Carnival on Monday 16 March at Newport Athletics Track was cancelled due to the COVID-19 situation, so instead, students came to school in their PE uniform and novelty sports were held on the MSJ oval. Year 12 students, as is tradition, dressed up for the day. I thank all students for their participation on the day.
Currently, students are on holidays until Term 2 commences for them on Wednesday 15 April. As I have already communicated to parents via email, the College is well-placed to offer online learning for our students if we are required to do so. Please be assured that the education and wellbeing of all our students is our highest priority.
I would like to share this prayer with you and ask that you all take care and go gently.
Living God,
Abundant in love, hear our prayer. Give us ears to hear the needs of our time, and responsive hearts and hands. Bless us with hearts that expand in generous response and hands that are giving to those in need. We ask this in the name of Christ, who gave all, and the Spirit who keeps giving.
Amen.
Kate Dishon
